“Come party tonight like you did for the last 10 years; yes, the rumour is real.” Those were the words that welcomed people to the city’s first pub ‘Chrome’ that downed shutters on Saturday night.
Even as scores of people descended on the popular party place one last time, there was a widespread feeling of disbelief and a hope that, perhaps, they may all come back the next day to see the place bustling with strobe lights and pulsating music like it always used to be all these years.
“It’s hard to move on and the memories will linger on. But we hope to soon revive Chrome in the coming months, may be at a new address,” said Srinivas Reddy, the man behind the decade-old enterprise.
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Incidentally, this is the second pub in the city that shut down in the past five years.
According to industry sources, the “exorbitant” annual liquor fee of Rs. 42 lakh, the highest in the country, is cited as the reason behind this, making standalone pub business unviable.
Regulars at Chrome raised a glass to Mr. Reddy, as they were served the last drinks.
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It was an emotional moment for many who came to bid a final goodbye.
“Chrome was the only social life that we had, a place where we would hang out after work. We made friends for life here. It was not just a pub for us, but the most memorable journey of our lives that will stay with us forever,” said Adarsh Chilukuri, who has seen visiting Chrome since the day it started, way back in 2004. Even as DJ Ajay Joseph played the last loop of music and announced, “It is an emotional night for all of us, the last night at Chrome,” emotional hugs were exchanged.
Vishnu Dantu, another regular at Chrome, said: “It will be sorely missed, because we have always been very well looked after in there. It was like a second home for me.”
The lights may have gone off for the last time on Chrome, but not in the memories of all those who have been visiting the place over the past several years.